A Saturday Afternoon in October
Fall in New England means crisp air, multi-colored crunchy leaves and apples. Yes, winter may be just around the corner, but this time of year is really worth the cold weather later. There is nothing quite like a beautiful, sunny New England fall day. It is a must in New England to head out of town to see the fall colors or spend a free afternoon at one of the local orchards filling up a bag with apples picked right off the tree. I try to go at least once every fall.
There are numerous farms, both small and large to choose from, but this year I headed to Lyman Orchards in Middlefield, Connecticut. (http://www.lymanorchards.com/) It took about half an hour to reach Lyman's from the Law School and the drive was beautiful. Did I mention how pretty the fall colors are this year?
My first piece of advice about Lyman's, particularly if you are a student with a more flexible weekday schedule, is to go on a weekday afternoon. My friend and I went on one of the nicest Saturdays of the fall, and it seemed like most people living in southern Connecticut had the same idea! It was crowded, to say the least. Lines wrapped around every turn, and I think there may have been more children at Lyman's that Saturday than down at Disneyland.
We started at the Apple Barrel, the orchard store and deli. Undeterred by the long line, we picked up a sandwich at the deli counter and made a picnic of it at one of the outdoor tables. I ordered the very tasty "Crispin," a grilled chicken sandwich with sliced apples, cheddar cheese, red onions, lettuce and a cider glaze that really makes it. You also probably won't be able to resist an apple cider donut or piece of freshly baked apple pie. We tried one of each! The store is full of other goodies, from apple cider and sauces, to gourmet cheeses and baked goods. There are, of course, also many varieties of apples. I recommend the Macoun.
After filling up, we took off down the hill to try the corn maze. (No, we did not have children with us, but who doesn't love a corn maze?) A portion of the proceeds from the maze go to the American Cancer Society. Thus far, Lyman Orchards has donated $203,865. For the trivia lover, the staff will let you take a trivia card upon entering the maze. Correct answers tell you which way to turn at markers throughout the maze, so there is less time spent wandering lost in circles. (Assuming, of course, you know the correct answers.) Walking back up the hill from the maze the tantalizing sweet and salty smell of kettle corn filled the air. We resisted the temptation.
We opted instead for a warm cup of hot cider back at the Apple Barrel before heading to our car. You may have noticed that we hadn't picked a single apple yet! Yes, there were orchards to be found with apples of all varieties, a little further down the road. I came home with a bag full of Macouns, along with applesauce, two apple pies, a loaf of apple spice bread and a couple of donuts - after all I only make it once a year. It was a great time, but next year I am coming back on a Tuesday!
